RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: Some measures have been put into practice in Brazil over the last few years, to reduce the mortality due to road traffic-related injuries. The present study had the aim of evaluating the trends and characteristics of mortality due to this cause among the inhabitants of a medium-sized Brazilian city that has good-quality mortality data. METHOD: This was a time series study carried out using consolidated data from the Ministry of Health, covering 1994 to 2005. RESULTS: The results indicate that the obligatory use of seat belts in urban areas (starting in September 1995), implementation of speed control radar at some strategic points (end of 1995 and 1996), and introduction of prehospital attention for victims of road traffic events (starting in June 1996) had a small impact on mortality among victims of road traffic injuries, which continued at a high rate (more than 35 per 100,000 population). In 1999, the year after a new national road traffic code had been implemented, a larger reduction in mortality levels was observed (to 27.2 per 100,000). However, this downward trend was not maintained over subsequent years, with mortality levels continuing to be around 23 to 29 per 100,000 population. Pedestrians, motorcyclists, elderly people, and men were the victims at highest risk of death. CONCLUSION: This study shows that, despite the general reduction in mortality rate after the new road traffic code was introduced, this trend was not maintained over subsequent years. This shows the need for new strategies aimed at reducing road traffic deaths in towns, particularly among pedestrians and motorcyclists.
